I have a funny rule: No whining.
Well, it's not really that funny because whining is so pervasive in our work, our lives, and our culture. And Bill? Bill was a Master Whiner. In fact, when I first met him I couldn't get a word in edgewise because he had so much to whine about.
In my last article, I promised I'd tell you how Bill worked his way out of a miserable life into one he'd always dreamed of. There's a lot to learn from Bill's story that we all can apply to our practices and our lives.
Bill hated going to work. He loathed his employees (he didn't seem them as his team). He had a boatload of them, too -- twice the number he really needed, but each of them was only performing at half-mast. He also had probably had more high-tech equipment than you and me, yet he wasn't producing what he was capable of for a number of reasons: poor organization, lack of training, solid leadership, and much, much more. Truly, it was ugly. It would be easy to whine if you were in his shoes.
As you may recall, Bill really just wanted out of practice the fastest way possible so he could buy a sailboat and sail the world with his wife. But he saw no way out, other than to sell his practice for firewood and walk away. But after putting his kids through college and not investing as much as he would have rather done, he just couldn't chuck the practice out the window. In his eyes, the only solution was to keep working.
But that only made matters worse.
Bill decided he would build a brand new building that would attract more patients and better employees. By having six treatment rooms to work from, he figured he could earn more money and reach his financial goals faster. Then he really could chuck his practice.
Fortunately for Bill, the person he talked to about his new building picked up on Bill's unhappiness and strategy for success. He asked Bill to call me, and Bill obliged.
When I first heard from Bill, he didn't have a clue why he was talking with me. Was it to refine what he wanted from his new building? Was it efficiency tips? What was it?
So I asked Master Whiner what he wanted to talk about. (Don't get me wrong. Bill is a wonderful, loving human being, willing to do anything for anybody. He was just hurting.) I got an earful in that first hour. Second session: the same. Third session: the same.
At this point, I suggested we talk face-to-face for a day at the place of his choosing. He agreed.
Bill began with his usual litany. His wife, to my surprise, was accompanying him, and she chimed in too. This went on for two and a half hours. When there was finally a moment of silence, I looked Bill square in the eyes and told him he was the biggest loser I had ever met.
He blinked at me in disbelief. Several times.
I told him I was ready to leave if he wanted me to and that he never had to talk with me again, but I was no longer going to listen to his whining. If he wanted his life to be different, he was going to have to do something about it.
I went outside for a while to let him think and discuss things over with his wife. When I returned -- to his courage and strength -- he said he was ready to take action, and he wanted to know where to start.
Bill never whined again.
We continued that day's session with me asking a simple question: What is your dream? His eyes lit, a smile came across his face, and he told of his dream, something he had almost dismissed. Now we were on our way. And no, I haven't finished telling you all of Bill's story; that's for another day.
But let me leave you with that same question: What is your dream? What obstacles do you have or perceive to have in your practice? Are you willing to do something about them starting now? What support will you need?
Practice management is more than a "to do" list of tasks, or a book of protocols, or an up-to-date office policy manual. It is more than monitors and financial statements. The next level of practice management is incorporating the intangibles of the owner and its team members. It's looking within to discover what we're made of, what our dreams and goals are, and then developing the skills necessary to achieve them. It's the willingness to look inside our hearts and stay connected to what we do for our patients and for each other, and to develop who we are as people. It's the meshing of all we are as professionals and as human beings.
When we begin stepping out of our daily routines and opening our hearts and souls to all of the possibilities life has to offer, we'll find that dentistry is one of the most wonderful gifts we could have ever been given.
What's the next step? I can assure you there's no cookbook recipe; it's an organic, nonlinear process that will ask you to define your dreams, tell your truth about your current situation, and begin taking steps that will move you toward whatever you want in life. Unfortunately, we dentists are linear thinkers, thanks in part to our training in dental school. That kind of thinking is necessary for us to provide consistent, quality care; the problem is, it won't get us the other things we want in our lives as well.
So here's what I want you to do over the next few weeks: Dream. Listen to your heart. Open your mind to the possibilities without censoring.
We'll take care of the elements you'll need to achieve these dreams as this series progresses. But for now, focus on what you want most.
See you next month.
Don Deems, DDS, FAGD, is known is The Dentist's Coach, and is actively engaged in private dental and coaching practices. His latest book, The Dentist's Coach: Build a Vibrant Practice and the Life You Want, is available via his website, as well as a book he co-authored with Stephen Covey and Ken Blanchard, Roadmaps to Success: America's Top Intellectual Minds Map Out Successful Business Strategies.
